Block-mold.



No. 824,855. PATENTED JULY 3, 1906. J. R. FOSTER F. P. LANG. BLOCK MOLD.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.15, 1906.

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UNITED STATES PATENT oEEroE.

JOHN R. FOSTER AND FRED P. LANG, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

BLOCK-MOLD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, 1906.

T @ZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that we, JOHN R. FOSTER and FRED P. LANG, citizens of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Block-Molds, of which the following is a specification.

The object of our invention is to produce a simple yet ecient device by means of which hollow blocks of concrete or other plastic may be made.

The ,accompanying drawings illustrate our invention.

Figure 1 is a plan of an embodiment of our invention, Fig. 2, a vertical section on line 2 2 0f Fig. 1 Fig. 3, an enlarged sectional detail on line 3 3 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 a detail of the means for supporting the recess-forming blocks.

In the drawings, indicates a suitable bed-plate carrying uprights 11 11 at diagonally opposite corners. Pivoted upon each upright 11 is a side 12 of the block-mold, and secured to each side 12, near its outer or free end, is a mold end 13, thus forming two L- shaped mold-forming members which coperate to form the mold. Each mold end is adapted to be received in a notch 12', formed in the coperating mold side 12, near its pivot. In order to hold the mold together informing position, we secure to the outer upper corner of each end 13 a spring-catch 14, which is adapted to pass over the adjacent and coperating mold side 12, so as to lock theparts together.

In order to insure greater rigidity of the parts upon the base-plate 10, we mount upon each mold side 12 a vertically-movable locking-pin 15, which is normally urged upward by a spring 16. Pin 15 is arranged in position to be enga-Died by the head of the adjacent s ring-cate 14 when the mold parts are broug t together and urged downward into an opening 17, formed in the base-plate 10, thus locking each mold side 12 upon the bedplate so long as the catches 14 are in locking position.

In order to form the usual central opening in the block, we provide a collapsible structure which is permanently mounted upon the plate 10. This structure consists of two substantially vertical side plates 20 20, which are attached to the bed-plate 10 by hinges 20', havin@r a horizontal axis, and two coperating end plates 2l 21, which are similarly `shaped molol members 12 13.

attached by hinges 2l upon the bed-plate. A spring 22v connects the two side plates 20 near their upper ends and normally urges the u per ends of said plates toward each other.

he plates 21 are somewhat narrower than the extended distance between the two plates 20, and said plates 20 are provided at each end with cam-blocks 23, which are engaged by the adjacent edges ofthe end plates- 21. Pivoted to each end plate 21 is a link 24, and the two links at their adjacent inner ends are pivoted to a vertical plunger 25, which passes down through a suitable opening formed in the bed-plate 10. Plunger 25 is provided at its lower end with an extended foot-piece 26, by means of which it may be raised and lowered.

In order to form a suitable bottom upon which the plastic will be deposited, we provide a pallet 30, which is provided in its center with a perforation or opening adapted to fit the core-forming structure 20 21 snugly, the external dimension of said pallet being such as to fit snugly between the two L- The pallet 30 is supported a short distance above the bedplate 10 by suitable feet 31, so as to be supported above the hinges 20 and 21 of the plates 20 and 21, respectively.

It is often desirable that the blocks have formed in their ends transverse recesses, and in order to form such recesses we provide the iingers 32 32., Each of said ngers 32 is supported at its lower end upon a horizontal pivot 33, and springs 34 are provided to automatically swing the upper ends thereof outward when the mold is open.

The operation is as follows: Supposing the parts to be in the positions shown in the drawings and a block to have been formed in the usual manner, the operator will then pull the plun er 25 downward, thus pulling the upper en s of the plates 21 toward each other. This movement will move the upper ends of plates 21 along the cams 23 and permit the plates 20 to be drawn toward each other by the spring 22, thereby collapsing the core-forming structure within the block. The two catches 14 will then be raised and the L-shaped parts 12 13 of the mold swung in the directions indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1, thus withdrawing the same from the block. As the L-shaped portions of the mold are swung away from the block springs 34 will serve automatically to swing the upper ends of the recess-forming fingers 32 out- IOO IIO

ward and downward, thus automatically withdrawing said fingers from the concrete. Thereupon the operator may grasp the pallet 3() and lift it, together with the block formed thereon, vertically upward off from the coreforming structure. In order to assemble the parts, a new pallet is first placed in position and the core-forming structure expanded by an upward movement of the plunger 25. Fingers 32 are then swung upward and the L-shaped mold members are swung together and locked in the manner already described. It will be readily understood that a differentsiZe block may be made by changing the lengths of the arms of th L-shaped mold members.

In removing the formed block from the machine difliculty is experienced by reason of the fact that if a single Operator attempts to lift the block the upper end corners of the green concrete will be broken, and in order to prevent this we find it convenient to perforate the supporting-legs of the pallet, as indicated in Fig. 1, the arrangement being such that extended handles may be'inserted into these holes, so as to increase the effective length of the pallet at the time of lifting.

Ve claim as our inventionl. In a block-forming machine, the combination with a suitable bed-plate, Of a pair of Il -shaped mold members independently pivoted upon said bed plate to swing in the plane thereof, a locking-bolt mounted upon each of said members and adapted to enter the bed-plate, means for normally urging said locking-bolt away from locking position, a pair Of locking-catches one carried by each L-shaped member and adapted to engage the other of said L-shaped members to lock said members together, and also adapted to engage the adjacent bolt and force the same to locking position.

2. In a block-forming machine, the combination, with a suitable bed-plate, and mold forming members mounted thereon, of a collapsible core-forming structure mounted on said bed-plate and comprising a pair of hinged side plates, a pair of hinged intermediate end plates, and means for swinging the upper free ends of said plates toward each other, for the purpose set forth,

3. In a block-forming machine, the combination, with a suitable bed-plate and moldforming members mounted thereon, of a collapsible core-forming structure mounted on said bed-plate and comprising a pair of hinged side plates,a spring connecting the upper ends of said plates, cam-blocks carried by the inner faces of said plates, intermediate hinged end plates arranged between the side plates and engaging the cam-blocks thereof, and means for swinging said end plates, for the purpose set forth.

4. In a block-forming machine, the combination, with a suitable bed-plate, of a pair of L-shaped mold members pivoted upon the bed-plate to swing in the plane thereof, and a recess-forming finger pivoted upon the end plate on an axis substantially parallel with said plate.

5. In a block-forming machine, the combination, with a suitable bed-plate, of a pair of L-shaped mold members pivoted upon the bed-plate to swing in the plane thereof, a recess-forming finger pivoted upon the bedplate On an axis substantially parallel with said plate, and a spring engaging said finger to normally swing the same outward and downward toward the bed-plate.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 12th day of January, A. I). 1906.

JOHN R. FOSTER. [L. s.] FRED P. LANG. [n s] Witnesses 1 ARTHUR M. HOOD, THOMAS W. MOMEANS. 

